Texas Sage Varieties Compared
The short answer
Every Texas sage here is evergreen, takes full sun and reflected heat, gets by on little water and handles cold to about 10°F. They differ mainly in size, leaf color and flower color. Green Cloud Sage, Heavenly Cloud Sage and Sierra Bouquet are the big ones. Compacta, Rio Bravo and Lynn's Legacy are medium, and Silver Cloud and Thunder Cloud are small.
Side by side
| Variety | Size | Leaves | Flowers | Spacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Cloud Sage | 6 to 8 ft tall and wide | Green | Rose pink to violet | About 8 ft apart |
| Heavenly Cloud Sage | 6 to 8 ft tall and wide | Medium green | Lavender | 6 to 8 ft apart |
| Sierra Bouquet | 6 to 8 ft tall and wide | Silver-gray | Dark purple, smells like grape bubble gum | 8 to 12 ft apart |
| Texas Sage | 5 to 8 ft tall and wide | Silver | Pink to purple | 4 to 6 ft for compact kinds, 8 to 12 ft for larger |
| White Cloud | 4 to 6 ft tall and wide | Silver | White | 3 to 4 ft apart |
| Texas Sage Compacta | 4 to 5 ft tall, 4 to 6 ft wide | Gray-silver | Deep pink | 4 to 6 ft apart |
| Rio Bravo | 4 to 5 ft tall and wide | Deep green | Lavender, mostly after rain | 4 to 6 ft apart |
| Lynn's Legacy | 4 to 5 ft tall and wide | Sage green | Lavender, more often through the warm months | 4 to 6 ft apart |
| Chihuahuan Sage | 4 to 5 ft tall, about 5 ft wide | Small, olive green | Fragrant lavender | 4 to 6 ft apart |
| Upright Blue Ranger | 3 to 6 ft tall, 3 to 5 ft wide | Small, silver, cupped | Blue to purple | About 4 ft apart |
| Silver Cloud | 3 to 5 ft tall and wide | Tiny, silver-white | Deep purple | About 4 ft apart |
| Thunder Cloud | About 3 ft tall, 3 to 5 ft wide | Tiny, silver | Deep violet | 4 to 6 ft apart |
What they all share
- Full sun and reflected heat. In shade they get leggy and flower less.
- Low water. Once rooted, a deep soak every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter is plenty.
- Cold to about 10°F, so Valley winters do not hurt them.
- Flowers in flushes after summer rain and humid weather, which is why Texas sage is called barometer bush.
- Bees visit the flowers, and rabbits and deer usually leave them alone.
Choose Green Cloud Sage or Heavenly Cloud Sage if...
- You want a fast, green screen about 6 to 8 feet tall along a hot wall.
- You prefer green leaves over silver. Green Cloud Sage blooms rose pink to violet, and Heavenly Cloud Sage blooms lavender.
Choose Compacta, Rio Bravo or Lynn's Legacy if...
- You want a low hedge or foundation planting that stays about 4 to 5 feet.
- You want gray leaves and pink flowers (Compacta) or green leaves and lavender flowers (Rio Bravo, Lynn's Legacy).
- You want more frequent color. Lynn's Legacy depends less on humid weather to bloom.
Choose Silver Cloud or Thunder Cloud if...
- You need a small shrub for a border, walk or slope. Thunder Cloud stays about 3 feet tall.
- You want silver leaves with deep purple to violet flowers.
- The spot drains fast. Both rot easily with too much water.
Choose White Cloud, Chihuahuan Sage or Sierra Bouquet if...
- You want white flowers on silver leaves (White Cloud).
- You want scent. Chihuahuan Sage has fragrant lavender flowers, and Sierra Bouquet smells like grape bubble gum.
Questions people ask
Which Texas sage is best for a privacy screen?
The larger kinds. Green Cloud Sage and Heavenly Cloud Sage grow fast to about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. For a screen, plant Heavenly Cloud Sage about 6 feet apart and Green Cloud Sage about 8 feet apart.
Which Texas sage stays the smallest?
Thunder Cloud, at about 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Silver Cloud is next at about 3 to 5 feet.
Why is my Texas sage not blooming?
The usual causes are shade and shearing. In shade it gets leggy and flowers less. Shearing it into a ball cuts off the new growth that carries the buds.
Should I shear Texas sage into a ball?
It is better not to. Shearing cuts off flowers and thins the inside of the plant. If it needs shaping, thin select branches with hand pruners in late winter or early spring.
Can you overwater Texas sage?
Yes. Too much water is the most common way people lose one. Soggy or poorly drained soil brings root rot, so plant it where water drains.
Which Texas sages have green leaves instead of silver?
Green Cloud Sage, Heavenly Cloud Sage, Rio Bravo and Chihuahuan Sage have green leaves. Lynn's Legacy is sage green, and the rest are silver or gray.